Environment minister: Greens are 'hysterical'
A Greenpeace protest outside parliament last year
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Friday, 05, Sep 2008 02:15
Green activists' views on climate change are a "hysterical pseudo-religion", Northern Ireland's environment minister, Sammy Wilson, has said.
Mr Wilson said he believed the causes of climate change were not man-made.
"The tactic used by the "green gang" is to label anyone who dares disagree with their view of climate change as some kind of nutcase who denies scientific fact," he said.
"Reasoned debate must replace the scaremongering of the green climate alarmists."
It is just the latest row between Mr Wilson and environmental activists since he was appointed to the post in June, primarily due to his support for nuclear power.
He was the winner of the Green party's Green Wash awards – the member of the legislative assembly (MLA) most likely to damage the environment.
Peter Doran of the Green party called his comments a "deeply irresponsible message."
Mr Wilson gained notortiety in Northern Ireland when photos of him naked appeared in the Sunday World. This led Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein to tell the Northern Ireland Assembly: "It is also very good to come across someone like Mr Sammy Wilson, whom I have never met, and it is great to see him today with his clothes on."